Obama calls new U.K. Prime Minister Cameron

President Barack Obama called the United Kingdom's new prime minister on Tuesday to congratulate him on an election victory, and invited him to visit Washington this summer.

Obama phoned Prime Minister David Cameron, the Conservative Party candidate who assumed the top position in the British government, this afternoon.

"As I told the Prime Minister, the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom, and I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries – a bond that has endured for generations and across party lines, and that is essential to the security and prosperity of our two countries, and the world," Obama said in a statement on the call.

The president said the two would meet at the G-8/G-20 meetings in June, and that he invited Cameron to visit this summer. In 2008, Cameron met Obama, who was then a candidate for president, while Obama was visiting London.

Cameron formed a coalition government with the more centrist Liberal
Democrat party after the country's elections last week. Incumbent Prime
Minister Gordon Brown, a member of the Labour Party, resigned as prime
minister.

Labour had controlled the U.K. government since 1997, when Tony Blair surged to power as prime minister. Brown assumed the position in 2007 after Blair resigned.

Obama also called Brown on Tuesday, to offer sympathies in his defeat.

"I also send my best wishes to Gordon Brown, and thank him for his friendship and his distinguished service as Prime Minister," the president said in his statement on the calls. "He provided strong leadership during challenging times, and I have been grateful for his partnership."

This item was first posted at 4:31 p.m., updated at 5:01 p.m., and updated again at 5:26 p.m.